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Bettina McMahon 

Bettina McMahon born June 28th 1930 who passed in June 2024. She is a multiple award winning, prolific and respected Australian artist. As a graduate of the Julian Ashton School of Fine Art and alumna of the National Art School (formerly East Sydney Technical College), Bettina also studied at the Hammersmith Art School, the Tate Gallery, the Morley and Goldsmith College of Art London, and London University.

 

Bettina was an elected member of the Print Council of Australia in 1976 and taught at various colleges and art centres throughout Sydney. In1982 and 1987 Bettina was awarded Artists-in-Residence at the Cite International des Arts Paris. Exhibiting since the early 1960’s she has been in numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. She is represented in many private and public collections in Australia and internationally. 

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Since 2024 together with NAS and established in her name are The Bettina McMahon Art Prizes for drawing, painting and printmaking. These prizes are awarded to encourage the on-going commitment for second year students to continue their art.

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QUALIFICATIONS:

 

1949          Art Diploma Julian Ashton College, Sydney

1950         Studied at Hammersmith Art School and Tate Gallery, London

1972         Studied at Morley College, London

1972         Advanced Etching Course Goldsmiths, University of London 
1976         Elected Member of Australian Print Council
1976-79    Teacher of Etching, Workshop Art Centre
1981         Teacher at Roseville Community Art Centre
1982 / 87  Artist-in-residence at the Cite International des arts, Paris

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Member Sydney Printmakers

Member Print Circle Group

Self Portrait

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Cite International des arts, Paris

PRIZES

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​​1962         Bathurst Open Painting 

​​1968         Lane Cove Painting

​​1968         Portia Geach Portrait

​​1969         Ryde Watercolour

​​1970         Hunters Hill Traditional Oil Painting

​​1972         Drummoyne Print

​​1978         Drummoyne Print - Section 4 Graphic

​​1978         Drummoyne Print - Section 5 D.M.A.S.

​​1978         Bathurst Print

​​1978         Bathurst Purchase

​​1979         Gosford Print

​​1979         Narrabri Festival Drawing

​​1980         Mosman Print

​​1981         Print Council of Australia's Annual Commission for Members Print

​​1982         Gosford Print

​​1983         Drummoyne Print - Section 4 Graphic

​​1985         Gosford Print

​​1985         Drummoyne Print - Section 4 Graphic

​​1989         Drummoyne Silver Jubilee - Drawing

​​1989         Currabubula Red Cross 

​​1990         Central Coast Works-on-Paper

​​1997         Walkom Manning Major Art

​​2000         Energex Equine Art

​​2000         Central Coast Works-on-Paper

​​2001         Energex Equine Art

​​2001         Central Coast Works-on-Paper

​​2002         Central Coast Works-on-Paper

​​2003         Hunters Hill Landscape 

​​2005         Central Coast Major Art

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EXHIBITIONS & COLLECTIONS

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CURATED EXHIBTIONS

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​​1960         Sulman painting prize
1960-70    Blake Religious art prize
1973-86    Annual exhibiting member, Sydney printmakers
1976-86    Print Council of Australia, National travelling exhibitions, Stockholm, Sweden .

                 Printmakers of New South Wales exhibition, United Kingdom.
1982         Print Biennale, Frechen, Germany
1984         Print Circle of Sydney Exhibition, Cologne, Germany
1985         Print Biennale, Frechen, Germany            
1990         Bird's eye view - Lewers bequest, Penrith City Art Gallery
1997         Powerful Animals - Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery
2008         Directors' Choice, Bathurst Regional Gallery

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SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

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1965         Dominion Gallery, Sydney
1966         Darlinghurst Gallery, Sydney
1967         Darlinghurst Gallery, Sydney

1970         Blaxland Christmas Art, NSW
1971         Mosman Gallery, Sydney
1973         Mosman Gallery, Sydney
1978         Susan Gillespie Gallery, Canberra
1978         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney

1979         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
1979         Cook's Hill Gallery, Newcastle
1982         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
1982         Susan Gillespie Gallery, Sydney
1982         Chapman Gallery, Canberra
1982         Tynte Street Gallery, Adelaide
1982         Frechen Germany Print Biennale
1982         Printmakers of NSW Touring Exhibition, England
1982         Scotland P.C.A
1982         Travelling Exhibition, Stockholm Sweden
1982         Print Circle, Cologne; Germany
1984         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
1985         Chapman Gallery, Canberra
1985         Chapman Gallery, Canberra

1985         Frechen German Print Biennale
1986         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney

1987         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney

1988         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
1990         Gallery 460, Gosford
1993         Bridge Street Gallery, Sydney
1993         Gallery 460, Gosford
1995         Bridge Street Gallery, Sydney
1997         Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
2004         NSW Art Gallery. Dobell Prize for Drawing. Finalist.
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SHARED EXHIBITIONS
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Ansett Australia Golden Wing Lounge Private Gallery

Art Lounge, Sydney

Australian Catholic University, National
Barry Stern Galleries, Sydney
Bell Gallery, Berrima
Bridge Street Gallery, Sydney

Cooks Hill Galleries, NSW
Gallery Allegro, Sydney
Dominion Gallery, Sydney
Gallery 460
Gosford Cooks Hill Gallery
Kenthurst Gallery, Sydney
Leveson Gallery, Melbourne
Milk Factory Gallery, Bowral
Newcastle Artarmon Galleries, Sydney
Palmer Street Gallery, Sydney
Porter's Gallery, Sydney

Roar Studios, Vic
Sara Rooney Gallery, Sydney

Theatre Royal. MLC Centre, Sydney

The First Olsen Drawing Prize, Bathurst Regional Gallery
Toorak Gallery, Melbourne
Val Cohen Fine Art, Sydney

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REPRESENTED COLLECTIONS
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Araluen Art Gallery, NT

Art Bank, NSW
Bathurst Regional Gallery, NSW

Crown Casino Melbourne, VIC
Deakin University, VIC
Department of Education, VIC
1st National Bank of Chicago, USA
Geelong Art Gallery, VIC
Hamilton Regional Gallery, VIC

Hornsby Municipal Gallery, NSW
James Packer
Joan Sutherland
Margaret Carnegie Collection NSW
Merrill Lynch

National Gallery of Australia, ACT
Newcastle City Gallery, NSW
Parliament House NSW

Public Works State Block, NSW

Print Council of Australia, VIC
South Eastern Community College, SA

Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA

Sultan of Brunei, BRUNEI

Tamworth Regional Gallery, NSW

University of NSW

Westmead Hospital Collection, NSW

 

Various collections in Australia, Brunei, Germany, Malaysia, Singapore, Sweden, UK and USA.
 

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Bettina: Picasso tryptych published in NEW ART ONE. New Directions in Contemporary Australian Art. Craftsman House, Sydney, 1988. Editor Nevill Drury 

SELECT BIBLOGRAPHY

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Art and Australia, Vol.21 No3, Thorpe, L.: Printmakers Today

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Artists and Galleries of Australia, Germaine, Max

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Australian Artist, December 1991

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A Dictionary of Women Artists of Australia, Germaine, Max HC 1991 

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Directory of Australian Women Printmakers

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New Art One, 1987, Neville Drury, ed

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Pastel Artists International November 1999​
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